Somersworth Winterfest brings out Frosty, fashion

Sunday

Feb 3, 2013 at 3:15 AMFeb 3, 2013 at 3:44 PM

By Michelle Kingstonmkingston@fosters.com

SOMERSWORTH — After breakfast was served and Frosty was hugged, Somersworth High School's gymnasium transformed from a winter wonderland festival to a city light fashion show, complete with sparkles, curled updos and bow ties.

During the morning hours, the 23rd annual Winterfest, presented by Somersworth Festival Association and underwritten by D.F. Richard Energy, kicked off with pancakes and breakfast sandwiches, golf games, basketball, crafts and face painting. Toddlers ran through the gym, anxious to meet Frosty the Snowman.

Families scooted off to the Somersworth Lions Club on West High Street in the afternoon to skate on one of the three large skating rinks, which are free and open to the public.

Pete Houde, President of the club, said although the rinks are open all winter long, they saw a good group of visitors stop by during the festival.

“We do it for the city,” Houde said. “Our club is all volunteers.”

Houde saw about 30 people on the ice during Saturday morning.

The rink and all of the hockey and skating equipment are free for the public to use during daylight hours and on Tuesday and Friday nights under the lights.

“One woman was in earlier today and could not believe that everything was free,” Houde said. “I told her she could leave a donation if she wanted and she gave us 10 dollars.”

All rinks are man-made. The pond is five to six feet deep and sits at 80-by-200 feet. The two rinks are five to six inches deep and are about 40-by-100 feet.

While families skated and warmed up at the club, Somersworth High was busy setting up a fashion show, where all proceeds would go toward the junior class prom.

This year, their prom will be held on May 18 at the Regatta Room in Eliot, Maine. The theme of the night is “City Lights.”

“Nowadays these have to be booked a year in advance or more,” class advisor and Winter Festival chair, Nancie Cameron said.

Cameron has been putting on the fashion show since 2003 and said the students enjoy dressing up and trying on the different style gowns in preparation for the big night.

“This year, I decided to incorporate it with the Winter Festival,” she said.

Madeleine's Event Central in Portsmouth supplied the dresses and tuxedos, while local businesses, Inside Out Beauty Studio, Hair Daze, La Belle Bridal, LuLu Belle Boutique, Royal Treatment Salon and Spa, Poppy Seed Studio and Cookie Lee Jewelry were on hand for the glitz, glamour and hair and makeup. Royal Treatment's salon owner, Lisa Patch, said there are a lot of new hair accessories and beauty regimens out this year for the girls to try.

“It's all fun,” Patch said about being a teen these days.

Royal Treatment offers hair tinseling, to make your hair sparkle, and chalking, which is a semi-permanent color that blends from your natural hair color to a color of your choice on your ends. The spa was also giving complimentary paraffin hand treatments during the event.

“I wouldn't say there is a specific trend this year,” Alyssa Vachon of the new Inside Out salon on Chestnut Street in Dover said. “I just think girls have a lot of choices now. There are so many things for them to choose from, which also makes it really fun for us.”

Becky Qualls, a makeup artist for Hair Daze, said curls and braids are all the rage this year.

“And the other thing is that girls are looking to spend the time getting their hair done instead of doing it themselves now,” she said.

Qualls said Hair Daze also offers teeth whitening and a high-end airbrush makeup, which is long-lasting.

“You and I both know makeup doesn't last all night, but airbrush makeup does,” she said. “If it is applied in the morning, it will last through the night.”

The Somersworth High School students shined on stage, proving that the salons know what they are talking about.

Backless, long and sparkling dresses seemed to be the trend at the fashion show, with some girls sporting different shades of purple, green, pink or blue.

Amber Canney and Ryan LePage emceed the event, adding commentary as the models walked the walk and posed like pros at the end of the stage.

Vanna Lee was the first girl on stage, escorted by Nicholas Raftery who wore an all-white tux.

Lee was in sparkles from head to toe and her hair was curled, like most of the girls who modeled.

Jesslyn Lukman's hair was sideswept and curled and her lime green dress was backless, another popular trend seen on the Somersworth gymnasium runway.

Tia Cloutier was the only girl to wear a Cinderella style dress. The dress was sparkling on top with sequins and rhinestones and puffed out at the waist in navy blue.

“It's a fun way to raise money for their prom,” Cameron said. “It's why we do it year after year.”